Nilesh Lokhande

Accessibility in UI/UX: Designing for Everyone

Design isn’t truly great until everyone can use it—regardless of age, ability, or situation. That’s where accessibility (a11y) comes in.

In this blog, we’ll explore what accessibility means in UI/UX, why it’s crucial, and how to apply it in your projects.

✅ What is Accessibility in Design?

Accessibility in UI/UX means designing products, interfaces, and content that people with disabilities or limitations (temporary or permanent) can use and understand.

This includes users who are:

Visually impaired (blind, low vision, color blind)
Hearing impaired
Motor impaired (limited movement)
Cognitively challenged
Experiencing temporary issues (like a broken arm or loud environment)

🌍 Why Accessibility Matters

🌱 Inclusive design = Better design
⚖️ Legal compliance (e.g., ADA, WCAG, Section 508)
💡 Improves usability for all (think captions in noisy places)
📈 Expands reach to more users (1 billion+ globally have a disability)

📏 Key Accessibility Principles (POUR)

Perceivable – Info must be presented clearly (text alternatives, color contrast)
Operable – Users must navigate via keyboard or screen readers
Understandable – Language should be simple and predictable
Robust – Content must work across devices and assistive tech

🧠 Simple Accessibility Best Practices

🎨 Color & Contrast

Use sufficient color contrast (at least 4.5:1 for text)
Don’t rely on color alone to convey meaning

🔤 Typography

Use legible font sizes (min 16px for body)
Ensure good line height (1.5x font size)

🧭 Navigation

Make everything keyboard navigable
Use focus states on buttons, links, and forms

🧑‍💻 Alt Text & Labels

Add alt text to all images
Label all form inputs clearly

🔊 Screen Reader Support

Use proper HTML structure (headings, lists, buttons)
ARIA labels for dynamic elements (like sliders, modals)

🛠 Tools to Test Accessibility

WebAIM Contrast Checker
WAVE Accessibility Tool
axe Chrome Plugin
Figma’s Able plugin for contrast and focus check
Use VoiceOver (Mac) or NVDA (Windows) to test screen readers

🚫 Common Mistakes

Low contrast text
No focus indicators
Unlabeled form fields
Missing alt text
Using icons without text labels

💬 Final Thoughts

Accessibility isn’t an extra step—it’s a core part of good design. When you design for users with disabilities, you often make the experience better for everyone.

Make accessibility a habit, not an afterthought.

Up next: “The Role of Design Systems in UI/UX – Why and How to Use Them.”

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